Timing Isn’t Everything, But It’s Important

The adage informs us that “timing is everything.” I’m sure there’s quite a bit of truth to that, but sometimes it gets a bit confusing.

 

For instance, we’ve probably all experienced being in the right place at the right time. I remember applying for a job once just as the previous editor of the newspaper had resigned. My timing couldn’t have been better. It turned out to be a great job for me, a giant step along my career path.

 

However, we also hear about people being at the right place at the wrong time. Does that mean arriving at the right airport gate, but five minutes after the plane had begun to taxi down the runway? Or applying for a job right after it's been filled?

 

We often hear about people being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Tragic crimes that happen outside a bar at 2:30 in the morning come immediately to mind. Wrong place – and definitely the wrong time. But what about being at the wrong place at the right time? Is there ever a right time to be at the wrong place? 

 

I’ve been pondering the whole timing is everything thing. Especially concerning our relationship with God. Take, for example, the account of Jesus; His friend Lazarus, who was gravely ill; and his sisters, Mary and Martha. In John 11 it says, “the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’” By this time, Jesus’ healing powers were well-known, so the sisters obviously were begging for help.

Did Jesus tell His followers, “Drop everything, guys, Lazarus is really sick. We need to go assist him immediately”? Nope. Instead, Jesus responded, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Then, even though He fully understood the sisters’ distress and their urgent plea, the passage says, “He stayed where He was two more days.” 

 

Wow! The first time I read this passage, it made me think of the sarcastic EMT who quipped, “When seconds count, we’re only minutes away!” But Jesus knew what He was doing. He wasn’t uncaring, nor was He indifferent. He had a plan.

 

After the two days He announced, “Let us go back to Judea…. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples, often a clueless bunch, shrugged their shoulders. “‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’” So Jesus clarified the situation:“Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 

 

If you’re familiar with the “rest of the story,” Jesus arrived after Lazarus had already been in his tomb for four days. The two sisters separately ran to greet him, but both declared, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” He went to the tomb and, observing the grief of the sisters and Lazarus’s other family members and friends, did what’s described by the Bible’s shortest verse: “Jesus wept.”

 

However, His tears were not in mourning for his deceased friend; they reflected the empathy He felt for those who grieved, and also for the pain of a world ravaged by sin. Because Jesus’ next step was to raise Lazarus from the dead, stating why He had waited to respond: “…that they may believe that [God the Father] sent Me.”

 

Even though this story happened 2,000 years ago, there’s much we can learn from it for today. It’s not just about Jesus’ miraculous powers, although that’s significant enough. It also dramatically demonstrates why God’s timing frequently isn’t the same as ours.

 

We pray for the healing of a diseased loved one, implying, “and right now, please.” Or we pray to find a job – or a new one – and wonder why the Lord seems so slow in answering. We pray about a difficult marriage, broken relationships, or financial struggles, and fret because God doesn’t seem to be paying attention.

 

If the Lord were to explain to us at those moments – and He’s under no obligation to explain anything He does – He might indeed say, “Timing is everything.” He may be ordering circumstances to provide us with an answer that surpasses what we were asking for, because He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

 

God also might be timing His response so that when it comes, there can be no doubt that He is the source of the solution. In the passage about Jesus and Lazarus, the Lord told Mary, Martha and His other followers, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).

 

We were created to love the Lord, to trust Him, and as an opening statement from the old Westminster Confession says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Since this doesn’t come to us naturally, sometimes the best way He can teach this to us is through His divine and perfect timing. Even Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection took place “at just the right time” (Romans 5:6).

 

So as we consider whether “timing is everything,” we can trust that the God who knows everything also knows the right timing. 

Three Questions That Make All the Difference

My friend, Ken, is a colorful character. He’s a Marine (retired, but once a Marine always a Marine), a Vietnam veteran with medals to document his heroism in battle, along with scars – both physical and emotional – he will carry with him until his dying day. Following his wartime service he became highly successful in real estate. As he puts it, “I could turn manure into gold.” 

His life, goals and values changed dramatically, however, when he committed his life to Jesus Christ more than 40 years ago. Money and success were no longer driving factors in his life. Ken found the fallacy of the so-called “prosperity gospel,” often observing, “After Jesus, I could turn gold into manure.” But if you were to ask, he’d tell you – as earnestly as possible – none of that matters anymore.
 
Instead, Ken’s life today is guided by three dominating questions. They are:

    1.    Do you really believe that people without Christ go to hell forever?
    2.    If you believe that – do you care?
    3.    If you care, what are you doing about it?

He isn’t just talk. For nearly four decades Ken has been actively investing in the lives of others, walking with them through problems and helping them to realize that even when circumstances seem hopeless, they can turn to the Lord for solutions they couldn’t have imagined possible. 
 
One particular segment of society he’s working with consists of military veterans who have also struggled with the scars from combat. Through his work, these wounded individuals are finding new hope and peace through Jesus Christ, both for the present and for the life yet to come.
 
I’ve met hundreds of men and women having similar zeal, an overriding devotion to telling others about the life-saving, life-transforming power of Jesus. Living in an age when an increasing number of people show no respect for the name of Jesus Christ at all, it’s good to know folks like these. The more the better.
 
Years ago another friend, the late Ted DeMoss, traveled all across the U.S. and around the world for one purpose: To tell people about Jesus Christ. Countless men and women were introduced to their Savior and Lord through Ted’s ministry, and many are carrying on his legacy today.
 
Often during his talks, Ted would recite a portion of a poem that reflected his passion for helping people discover how to have a true, eternal relationship with God:

    “When in the mansions above, 
    The saved all around us appear,
    I must hear someone say, 
    'It was you who invited me here.’”

 
This isn’t about persuading someone to accept our point of view, or alter their belief system. It’s about the recognition that when Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He wasn’t being exclusionary. Jesus was announcing there’s only one way to an eternal, personal relationship with God – yet it’s available to everyone willing to accept it. As John 1:12 declares, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
 
The question is, how will people find out about this? Who will tell them? “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can their believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?... ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15). We don’t have to be preachers or missionaries to engage in the joyous work of telling others about Christ; we’re all called to participate in this – in the “mission fields” where God has placed us.
 
But what’s our motivation? Why bother? Aren’t there enough churches, religious TV and radio shows, films, books and Internet sites to disseminate this information? It’s not about information, or knowledge. It’s about truth, and seeing that truth lived out through the lives of people genuinely and consistently following Jesus. As another poem says so poignantly, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” When people see our love for Christ, and His love for others being expressed through us, many will become drawn to Him.
 
It must start, however, with our love for the Lord. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all…that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Because of what He has done for us, we in turn understand the urgency of telling others.
 
Do you believe that people without Christ are destined to suffer an eternity separated from God and His glorious eternal kingdom? Do you care? And if so, are you doing anything about it?

Going Against the Flow Not a Popular Route to Take

Videos of salmon swimming upstream to spawn or reproduce have always intrigued me. I’ve never witnessed this phenomenon firsthand, but the images of these fish going against the current, sometimes leaping into the air along their journey, are captivating. Here are animals intentionally going against the flow, driven by natural instinct. They’re following a familiar scent that leads back to where they were born.

 

Humans sometimes go against the flow too, but it’s not an instinctive response and has nothing to do with our places of birth. This might be motivated by a desire to be non-conformists. We saw a lot of that in the 1960s, when hippies took a stand for non-conformity with their long hair, flowers, tie-dye shirts and bell-bottomed trousers. Ironically, their non-conformity became conformity to the established hippie culture.

 

The 'Against the Current' T-shirt produced
by "The Chosen" aptly represents
the course Christ asks us to take.

Countering the culture is a genuine reason for swimming upstream or going against the flow. A great verse in the Bible is Roman 12:2, which says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” One paraphrase from years ago put it this way: “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.”

This always has been, and probably always will be, a challenge for the people of God. The Scriptures provide us with many examples, but one in particular comes to mind.

 

First, let me ask a question: How many of the Israelite “spies,” sent into the Promised Land to check things out, can you name? I suspect at most you can name only two: Joshua and Caleb. Have you ever heard of Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, or Geuel? Probably not.

 

There’s a good reason for this, and it’s not just because they had unusual names. All of these men are listed in Numbers 13:3-15, and it says each was a leader, so they apparently had some notable qualities. But among them, only two – Joshua and Caleb – were willing to go against the current. After exploring the lush and beautiful land God had promised them, the other 10 returned and said, “the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large…. We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are” (Numbers 13:28-29,31).

 

The givers of the first “minority report,” Joshua and Caleb, insisted, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Numbers 13:30), but the majority’s appraisal was adopted. As a result, the Israelites were consigned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years; the only ones from the spy expedition who actually found homes in the Promised Land were – Joshua and Caleb.

We could cite many other examples: Joseph, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others in the Old Testament. Most of Jesus' original disciples, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Stephen, Paul and others in the New.

 

If you catch any of the episodes of the unique video series, “The Chosen” – which I highly recommend – you’ll notice an animated “logo” of a school of fish swimming in one direction, and then one by one, individual fish reversing course and starting to go the other way. This imagery represents Jesus’ calling of His followers and how they, like salmon swimming against the current, bravely chose to follow Him rather than their traditions and the prevailing culture.

 

Even though some of His disciples came from fishing backgrounds, Jesus used another metaphor to represent the difficult and sacrificial route they would have to take. He said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

 

Today, not much has changed. Our nation, once anchored in a Judeo-Christian culture, now seems bent on taking a totally different course, one that in many ways contradicts and even rebels against the time-honored, time-tested teachings of the Bible. Which brings – or will bring – each of us to an important point of decision.

 

Will we, like the determined salmon, undertake the hard work of going against the current? Or will we “go with the flow,” the path of least resistance, because it seems easier that way? There’s a “wide gate and narrow road” that most folks seem eager to take. The “small gate and narrow road” Jesus talked about, however, is the only one that lead to life – the “abundant life” He promised in John 10:10.

 

We each need to ask the honest and tough question, “Which way am I going?” And even if we’re presently following the path Jesus suggested, are we determined to stay on it – no matter what? 

Positive Thinking Powerful When Thinking Positively the Right Way

Years ago, Norman Vincent Peale wrote a very popular self-help book, The Power of Positive Thinking, when self-help books weren’t yet all that popular. While it received criticism from some mental health experts, theologians and academics, his book explored 10 helpful rules for “overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practice faith.”

 

Among these were visualizing oneself succeeding; drowning out negative thoughts with positive thoughts; not attempting to duplicate others, and recognizing the role God plays in achieving our goals. To be honest, I skimmed the book many years ago, so I don’t recall much of it. But even nearly 70 years since Peale’s book was published, many of his points make good, common sense – to a point.

For instance, picturing ourselves finding success in our chosen pursuits is definitely preferable to envisioning our efforts ending in failure. I have a friend who often quips, “I’m a positive thinker. I’m positive things are going to get worse.” We don’t want to be our own self-fulfilling prophecies. 

 

Comparing ourselves to others and seeking to replicate their accomplishments can also be self-defeating. I’ve learned that during this hard-knocks life. I can’t be someone else, just as they can’t be me. Psalm 139:14 declares, we each are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” We’re unique, not only in how we look but also in the way we think, our innate talents, our experiences, the skills we cultivate, and the spiritual gifts God entrusts to us. So trying to copy others can result in our rejection of how the Lord has uniquely designed us.

 

And if you’ve read these posts for very long, you know I’m all in about the belief that God wants to be directly and personally involved in every aspect of our lives. In his book, Peale asked his readers to repeat, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” 10 times every day. Taken from Philippians 4:13, a more contemporary translation is, “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” This is certainly valid biblical assurance we can trust – although I’m not sure we need to turn it into a mantra.

 

Ultimately, the strength of positive thinking depends on the basis for such thinking. If we adopt a “think happy thoughts” or “don’t worry, be happy” mindset, our apple carts are sure to become upset at some point. Because from the moment we’re born, life is tough; and often it gets harder from there. But if our trust – our faith – is centered on the God of all eternity, His sovereignty, faithfulness, love, grace, mercy, holiness and righteousness, we have every reason for thinking positively.

 

We live in a world that bombards us with negative thinking and information. We wake up and if we’re foolish enough to turn on the news, we’ll want to jump back in bed, pull the covers over our heads and stay there. Sadly, the atmosphere in some homes is negative as well. As someone has said, it’s hard to soar with the eagles when you’re walking with turkeys. 

 

Cultivating a positive attitude toward oneself can help to a degree, but that can’t safeguard us from events and circumstances that are beyond our control. The most positive attitude in the world won’t help a 6-foot-6, 275-pound person to become a world-class jockey. Sometimes our picnics get rained out no matter how positively we think.

 

But as we study the Scriptures, examining and meditating on the life of Jesus Christ, as well as learning about His children – sins, warts and all – we find the best source for learning to think positively. I’ve long appreciated the counsel of the apostle Paul, who wrote, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

 

Each of these adjectives aptly describes the Lord Jesus, and the more we can focus our thoughts on Him and His example, the better our lives will be. We also find incredible treasures in His teachings, whether it’s His so-called Sermon on the Mount or the many other interactions He had with people during His earthly ministry.

 

There was the time Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, a self-righteous, self-assured group of Jewish leaders, who decided to test Him with what they considered a trick question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36). They probably figured that if the Lord singled out one commandment, they could challenge Him on why He didn’t think others were just as important.

 

But Jesus wisely responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

In this, He was not only summarizing all of the commandments and their intent, but also giving us a simple template for positive thinking: Love God with all we have, and let love and concern for others be the governing factor in our actions and decisions. If we’re thinking the right way, we’ll find positive thinking imbued with limitless power. Power from above. 

No One Really Wins in Waging the War of Words

Contrary to what some would have us to believe, former President Donald Trump didn’t invent the practice of being snarky, demeaning and disparaging toward people he didn’t like. He’s just decided to take it to unprecedented levels – for a President. We’ve had mean-spirited words, in the seemingly limitless ways they can be delivered, virtually from the dawn of time.

 

There’s the classic exchange years ago between British political rivals Lady Nancy Astor and Sir Winston Churchill. Lady Astor said, “Winston, if you were my husband, I’d poison your tea.” To which Churchill replied, “Nancy, if I were your husband, I’d drink it.” Sounds like they weren’t especially fond of each other.

When TV news became a round-the-clock enterprise, participants struggled to find content to fill 24 hours and hold viewers’ attention. So they began to resort to harangues that often turned very personal. Today, when we tune in to the news, it’s not unusual to be accosted by shouting fests, as well as other forms of excessive, even bizarre oral behavior.

 

But acid, abusive tongues far predate the British Parliament, cable news, and Mr. Trump. The book of Proverbs, thousands of years old, contains more than 50 warnings about words carelessly and caustically delivered.

 

One of the most practical is Proverbs 10:19, a verse I’ve often used to curb the temptation to give someone a piece of my mind I couldn’t afford to lose. It wisely observes, “When there are many words, transgression is not avoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Another way of expressing this is, the more you speak, the more likely you are to say something you’ll regret. 

 

As if to underscore the point, two other proverbs express similar cautions: “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3), and “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue” (Proverbs 17:28).

 

We want to offer the excuse, “But if people say mean things to us, aren’t we justified in responding?” Or, “If someone says something stupid, don’t you think it’s appropriate to enlighten them?”

 

From what the Bible calls a “fleshly” perspective, perhaps. But we not only have counsel from Proverbs, but also many places in the New Testament asserting that is not the way to win friends and influence people for Jesus Christ. 

 

Studying Jesus’ life as revealed through the four gospels, we find He typically responded to people with kindness and sensitivity, even those who were confrontational. The only people the Lord spoke to harshly were the religious leaders, supposed servants of God caught up in their own hubris and arrogance.

 

The standard Jesus established is reflected in statements like, “whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also” (Matthew 5:29), and “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

 

In a society continuing to drift from its Judeo-Christian moorings, we’re called to serve as “witnesses” for Christ (Acts 1:8), and we do this by being different – through our lives, as well as our words and how we express them. Do we get caught up in the cultural model, firing back when others direct angry and hurtful words to us? Or, as Jesus suggested, do we take the high road?

 

Here’s a sampling of powerful admonitions from the Scriptures:

 

Ephesians 4:29 gives this guidance: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Is our motive to have a positive impact on people we’re speaking to, reflecting the love and grace of God? Or do we just dig into our arsenal, using words as weapons?

 

Writing to his protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul instructed, “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct…” (2 Timothy 2:23-24). 

 

It’s hard to persuade people whose minds are already set, but a civil, respectful tone can greatly enhance communication, as Proverbs 15:1 affirms: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

 

What about trying to share our faith in Christ to someone that’s resistant? We find sound advice in 1 Peter 3:15, “…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

 

Sometimes our speech provides the greatest evidence of the presence of Jesus in our lives. Are we consistently gracious in how we interact with others? James 3:9-10 makes this ironic point: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”

 

No one really wins in a war of words. As someone has said, “One convinced against their will remains of the same opinion still.” Instead, God wants us to follow the wisdom of Colossians 4:5-6, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” 

I know I’ve failed on this point many times, to my shame. When we interact with non-believers about Christ, do they leave with a good taste in their mouth – “seasoned with salt” – or is it more like vinegar, or worse? We’re to be winsome, not warlike. 

The Most Under-used, Underappreciated Tool in the Toolbox

Since I’m not a handyman in even the most generous sense of the word, I feel perfectly objective in asking this question: What’s the most important tool in the toolbox? Is it the hammer? The screwdriver? The wrench? The crowbar? The saw? Reminds me of the story about the blind man who picked up the hammer and saw.

My reason for asking isn’t to solicit advice on a do-it-yourself project. I learned the futility of trying to do those kinds of things long ago. No, I’m thinking about an entirely different realm – the spiritual. Because God has entrusted us with a variety of “tools,” but I think there’s one that’s conspicuously under-used, underappreciated and undervalued. 

 

First, let’s look at some of the tools the Lord has put at our disposal. We find a handy list in Ephesians 6:13-20, which describes “the full armor of God.” This includes “the belt of truth buckled around your waist,” the breastplate of righteousness,” “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace,” the “shield of faith,” the “helmet of salvation,” and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” 

 

We could examine each one of these in detail, but then one more “tool” is cited that’s sometimes overlooked in this whole “armor of God” discussion. The apostle Paul gives it the greatest attention in this passage:

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

 

All the other parts of the “full armor of God” seem suited for a proper uniform of one going into battle – a belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet and sword. Most are used for defensive purposes, and the sword for taking the offensive. But prayer, somehow it doesn’t seem to fit on this list. But it should.

 

Some of us might regard prayer as a kind of last resort. When all else fails, pray. But we never see it viewed in that way in the Scriptures. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says we’re to “pray without ceasing.” I’m no expert on the original Greek, but I think that means “all the time.” Or as I like to consider it, we’re to maintain a continual attitude of prayer. 

 

Basically, it’s similar to calling someone but never hanging up. We go about our daily activities, and whenever we feel the inclination, pick up the phone, talk a little bit, resume what we were doing, stop and talk some more, and so on. So we can start the day, our first waking moments, with prayer. We can pray while brushing our teeth, shaving, showering, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and driving to work (just don’t lower your head and close your eyes). 

 

We can even pray while we’re in the midst of the most riveting – or boring – meeting we’ve ever been a part of. Who’s to say we can’t? Again, bowing our heads and closing our eyes isn’t necessary. Do you typically bow your head and close your eyes when you talk with your spouse, child, or friend? In God’s point of view, it’s not the posture but the attitude of the heart that matters.

 

And when we pray, it isn’t only asking for stuff, like reading off a grocery list. Actually, that’s only a small part of it. I’ve always like the acronym for prayer: ACTS. It stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. Lots of times we’re in a hurry to get to whatever we need or want, but following this simple model helps us to keep a proper perspective.

 

When we pause to pray, we need to remind ourselves of whom we’re addressing – the God of all eternity, the Creator of the universe. Sounds kind of important, doesn’t it? So adoration – or praise – is a good place to start. I suspect this isn’t original with me, but the one who prays to God also gives praise to God.

 

Confession is a way of making sure our prayer connection is clear, that there’s no static on the line. We don’t want any kind of interference when our desire is to communicate with the Lord.

 

Thanksgiving essentially is remembering who He is, as well as all that He’s already done for us, before we dive into our “shopping list.” There’s lots to thank him for, starting with a night’s rest, the fact we woke up to a new day with unlimited opportunities and potential, answers to prayers uttered in the past. The list could go on.

 

Then, finally, we can move on to supplications – our requests – whether they’re for ourselves or others. Philippians 4:6-7 wraps this up into a handy little bundle: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Which leads to one additional benefit: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

The tools God has provided for us – truth, righteousness, the gospel of Christ, faith, salvation, and His Word – are all wonderful. But let’s not neglect the tool of prayer. It just might be the cog that enables us to implement the other tools most effectively. 

We Really Don’t Have to See to Believe

Once upon a time, long before any of us had ever heard of something called “the novel coronavirus,” aka “Covid-19,” my family traveled to Charleston, S.C. to attend a lovely outdoor wedding. The setting couldn’t have been more perfect. Well, almost. Situated along the banks of the James River, the temperature was pleasant and the natural views were breath-taking. The problem was with what we couldn’t see.

During the ceremony, guests began scratching – their scalps, their arms, their legs. What was causing the itch? Nothing that we could see. But the itching and temporary annoyances were there just the same.

 

Only later did we discover the culprits. Tiny creatures known in the region as “no-see-ums,” a pesky species of insects known by their scientific name, Ceratopogonidae. Being 1-3 millimeters in length, they’re extremely hard to see; hence their name. But for the fidgeting, itching wedding guests on that warm summer evening, believing required no seeing. Virtually invisible to the eye, the effects of the bugs were undeniable.

 

We’ve all heard the phrase, “seeing is believing,” but our world offers us myriad examples that confirm that in many respects, believing is seeing. We can’t see the wind, but can observe its impact blowing through the trees or whipping through our hair. We can’t see love as a tangible entity, but can see it displayed through a kiss or hug, acts of kindness, and faithful devotion. 

 

We can’t pour hatred into a container – although I wish we could, and then bury it in the deepest hole ever dug. But throughout human history we’ve seen the devastating evidence of hate, manifested in countless ways, including over the past year and a half. Not being able to see something doesn’t disprove its existence.

 

This lighted cross at Lake Junaluska,
N.C. is a visual symbol of the 
unseen but very real God.

In a far more profound way, being able to believe in what can’t be seen is crucial to one’s faith in the all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing God. In the Old Testament, we read about Moses boldly asking God, “show me Your glory.” After being directed to hide within the crevice of a rock, Moses was permitted to gaze at God’s back, but not His face (Exodus 33:18-23). But to actually see God in His totality? That would be the ultimate mind-blowing experience, far beyond the capacity of the human brain.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was visible during the 33 years He took on human form –“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). But during most of the time when Jesus’ closest followers were seeing Him, day after day, after day, they failed to understand or believe who He really was.

 

And even after the disciples finally “got it,” Jesus downplayed the importance of physically seeing Himself. Speaking to Thomas – commonly known as “doubting Thomas” because he seemed always to insist on tangible proof before moving into genuine belief – Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

 

So it seems actual sight isn’t all that critical, unless the seeing comes through the eyes of faith. I appreciate what 1 Peter 1:8-9 has to say about this:“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

 

From time to time we hear people say things like, “You can’t prove the existence of God!” But He’s not a lab experiment. And it’s equally true that we can’t disprove the existence of God. In fact, if we consider the visible and demonstrable effects the Lord has on this world, proof far outweighs the lack of it. 

 

In fact, in Romans 1:19-20 we read, “since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain…. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

 

Think about it: The complexity of our world and the universe. The inexplicable synchronicity that seems to govern everything, even when science tells us things naturally move from order to chaos, not the other way around. The amazing and always surprising beauty of creation and all that it includes. Not only these, but also human qualities such as creativity, love, compassion, mercy, humor, even consciousness and reason. Those certainly could not have “evolved” from nothingness, or even inanimate, lifeless objects.

 

Life is filled with things we find difficult to comprehend. Many of our “why” and “how” questions concerning God and His workings beg for answers we’ll not likely receive this side of eternity. But again, this is why “believing is seeing” is such an important ingredient in the recipe for a growing, trusting relationship with the Lord. “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Blessings, Curses, and How to Tell the Difference

If we could to transport ourselves to the time of the ancient Israelites and observe their lives and behavior, I suspect it would seem like riding a rollercoaster: breathtaking heights of zeal, devotion and obedience to God, followed by terrifying plunges of apathy, rebellion and disobedience. Perhaps the Lord might have felt like He was plucking petals off a flower, one by one – “they love Me, they love Me not, they love Me, they love Me not….” 

 

Recently a friend and I were discussing blessings and curses. He’d been reading some of the Old Testament narratives about good and evil Israelite kings and God’s response to their obedience and disobedience. For instance, in Deuteronomy 11:26-28 we read, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from the way I command you today….”

 

After the people of Israel arrived in the Promised Land after wandering 40 years in the wilderness, their leader Joshua determined it was time to renew the covenant they had made with the Lord many years before. He reminded them of God’s promises and admonitions: “Joshua read all the words of the law – the blessings and the curses – just as it is written in the Book of the Law” (Joshua 8:34).

 

Experience had taught the Israelites that if they did right, they’d get rewarded. But if they did wrong, they’d incur God’s punishment. Classic cause and effect. The New Testament, however, offers a shift in perspective and teaching. Rather than getting what we deserve, we’re told God in His grace offers us what we don’t deserve – forgiveness for our sins, salvation and eternal life. 

 

Romans 3:10 asserts, “There is no one righteous, not even one…there is no one who does good, not even one.” At times in reading this, I’ve wondered, “Is this about politicians?” But it clearly applies to everyone. So our hope of gaining God’s love and acceptance on the basis of merit flies out the window. Instead, we cling by faith to the assurance we read a bit later: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

 

Which brings us back to the subject of blessings and curses. Since the Lord has basically declared every last one of us a rebellious, disobedient mess, how can we expect His blessings? At the same time, since we often seem to forget about Him altogether, why aren’t we cursed more?

Maybe we need to re-examine our thinking about blessings and curses. Surely if we do right, we’re more likely to receive some kind of reward. And if we do wrong, we’ll likely encounter consequences. But many times, whether something is a blessing or a curse can depend on our response to it.

 

Years ago I had the opportunity – and blessing – to interview Joni Eareckson Tada who, despite being a quadriplegic, has achieved much-deserved acclaim as an author, speaker, artist and singer. She recounted her story of how as a teenager she became injured after unsuspectingly diving into a shallow lake. Her neck was broken instantly, leaving her paralyzed from the shoulders down. 

 

We could view that as a curse, in the blink of an eye going from a healthy, active teenager to one without the use of any of her limbs. And in her writings Joni tells how she struggled initially with the prospect of spending the rest of her life in that condition. She describes her despair and hopelessness. Who could blame her, right?

 

In retrospect, however, she admitted, “I shudder to think about what my life would have been like if I HAD NOT become paralyzed.” What? A blessing, not a curse? 

 

Joni explained that after the initial shock and grief, her injury gave her no recourse but to trust in the Lord for everything she would need. At the same time, she was able to refocus and develop her considerable creative talents to tell her story of faith, inspiring others and giving glory to God, showing how He can use even the worst circumstances for His good. 

 

What could have been a curse for Joni, had she responded the wrong way with self-pity and anger, turned into a blessing beyond anything she could have imagined. She’s had numerous triumphs and trials over the years since, but remains an example of the great promise in Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

 

On the other hand, the Scriptures offer some examples of individuals who seemingly were very blessed materially, but when those things took their focus off of the Lord, they became curses.

 

One was King Solomon of Israel. In succeeding his father, King David, he was a model of humility. When God visited him in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” the new king replied, “Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:5-9).

 

Asking for wisdom – that’s the kind of ruler we’d all like to follow. But starting well doesn’t guarantee finishing well, as Solomon sadly proved. He became consumed with riches, military might, and the many wives and concubines he had accumulated – all contrary to God’s expressed commands. By the end of his life, these “blessings” had turned into curses:

“The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel…. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command” (1 Kings 11:9-10).

 

These are lessons for all of us. We might look around at our material possessions and think, “What a blessing!” But beware: If they take our eyes off the Lord, they could become a curse. Conversely, our present hardships – which might seem like curses – could turn into unimaginable blessings. Sometimes it’s all in how we look at our circumstances – and respond to them. 

Even A Bit Beaten Up, ‘Old Glory’ Still Flies Proudly

Born on the 4^th of July, I became a Yankee doodle dandy by default. That is, if you accuse me of being a red, white and blue-bleeding, unapologetic patriot, de fault is with my mom who gave birth to me on that day.

Sighting an American flag flowing in the breeze has always thrilled me. Hearing the “Star-Spangled Banner,” “God Bless America,” and John Philip Sousa marching tunes like “Stars and Stripes Forever” puff up my chest with pride. When Lee Greenwood sings, “God Bless the U.S.A.,” and declares he’s “proud to be an American,” I know what he means.

 

Fireworks, with their brilliant explosions of light and thundering booms, provide a fitting way for marking the anniversary of our nation’s birth as an independent nation. From its inception, the United States of America has been unique, the envy of many around the world. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

 

Growing up, I didn’t know of anyone being ashamed about their American citizenry. Independence Day was a day of celebration for just about everybody. But somewhere along the line, things changed. It’s often been said, “United we stand, divided we fall,” and factions exist today that seem determined to capitalize on division. Whether it’s the dysfunctional discord that currently infests the halls of Congress, anti-American rants on college campuses, or social media diatribes that amplify the flaws of our imperfect land, we often seem a far cry from “one nation under God.”

As my patriotic fervor builds for yet another Independence Day, it’s accompanied with a growing sense of sadness. Yes, the USA has its flaws – as has every nation throughout history. That’s because it’s made up of broken, sinful people. But even with its blemishes, our country remains a destination point for many people, not somewhere from which to flee.

 

Freedom has been a hallmark of our nation; contrary to naysayers and critics, I believe in many respects its citizens have never been more free. Rights to free speech, worship, the press, assembly, keep and bear arms, a fair trial and many others are extended to us, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other amendments added through the years. The founders of the United States demonstrated uncanny foresight in the crafting of those documents.

 

These treasured freedoms have come under attack, but they remain worth fighting for and protecting. On this Independence Day, as with all the others we’ve observed through the decades, we remember the countless thousands who gave their lives so that we might be free to live as we choose.

 

At the same time, I can’t forget the even greater freedom we have been offered, one that carries no national banners or boundaries. In Galatians 5:1 we’re reminded,“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

 

This slavery isn’t a reference to the inhumane form of bondage that has existed through most of history all around the world. Or even the practice that finally was abolished in the United States by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. No, it’s even worse – the universal, spiritual slavery described by the apostle Paul in the New Testament book of Romans:

“For we know that our old self was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin…. Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin…you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:6-18).

 

Today there are those who would debate how “free” our freedoms of speech, worship, the press, or owning guns should be. But as followers of Jesus Christ, we have the assurance that our freedom from sin has been achieved: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:22-23).

 

The United States, in my opinion, is the greatest country in the world, even with all of its warts. But I know this is only a temporary home and my ultimate allegiance must be elsewhere: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). One day I will join with many family members, friends, and countless people I’ve never met to celebrate a very different kind of “independence day,” a glorious celebration that will never end.